Hugh David Black was born in Oradell, New Jersey, on 29 June 1903. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1922, graduated in 1926, and served on board USS Richmond, mainly in the Far East, between 1926 and 1928. During the next few years, he was an officer on board the battleship New York, the gunboat Asheville, and the destroyers Parrott, Rizal and Montgomery. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Black was assigned to the Naval Training Station, San Diego, California, in 1933-1934, then served on board the destroyer Upshur and during 1935-38 commanded the minesweeper Lark. Lieutenant Black had duty with the Bureau of Navigation, in Washington, D.C., in 1938 and attended Harvard University for two years, beginning mid-1938. He was Executive Officer of the new destroyer Benson in 1940-1941. In March 1941, he took command of the destroyer Jacob Jones. Lieutenant Commander Hugh D. Black lost his life when Jacob Jones was sunk by a German submarine on 28 Feburary 1942. Photo #: NH 82696. Lieutenant Commander Hugh D. Black, USN (1903-1942), photographed circa the early 1940s. The original photograph was presented to USS Black by Mrs. Hugh D. Black, Ship's Sponsor, on 21 May 1943, the day the ship went into commission. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Bill Gonyo

77k

Artist's conception of the Black by the renowned graphic illustrator John Barrett with the text written by naval author and historian Robert F. Sumrall. Their company Navy Yard Associates offers prints of most destroyers, destroyer escorts, submarines and aircraft carriers in various configurations during the ship's lifetime. The prints can be customized with ship's patches, your photograph, your bio, etc. If you decide to purchase artwork from them please indicate that you heard about their work from NavSource.

Aitape, New Guinea, Operation, April 1944. Part of Task Force 77 en route for the Aitape invasion, 21 April 1944. The landings took place on the following day. Photographed from USS Manila Bay (CVE-61). USS Black (DD-666) is at right. A large force of amphibious shipping and warships is visible on the horizon. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Fred Weiss

153k

February 10 1945 in San Francisco.

Ed Zajkowski

130k

USS Black (DD-666) Underway in a Pacific harbor, May 1945. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Fred Weiss

124k

USS Black (DD-666) underway during the early 1950's, probably soon after she was recommissioned in July 1951. The ship is still essentially in her late WW II configuration (USN Photo No NH 98066).

Robert Hurst

125k

USS Black (DD-666) At sea, following her mid-1950s modernization, in which she lost one 5"/38 gun mount and received three 3"/50 twin mounts. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

USS Black (DD-666) Refueling at sea from USS Eldorado (AGC-11), 14 November 1960. Note boat cradles on Eldorado's deck, and life jackets worn by her crewmen. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Fred Weiss

91k

USS Black at sea in January 1962. Photographed by Woody (USN Photo No NH 98067).

Port broadside of the USS Black (DD-666) underway circa 1965. Called a ‘later Fletcher Class’ destroyer, she differed from early units equipped with a flat face bridge and lower fire controls. Modernized in mid-1950s, she lost one 5"/38 gun mount and received three 3"/50 twin mounts. United States Navy Official; 1967-68 Jane’s Fighting Ships.

Mike Green/Robert Hurst

110k

Taken from USS Kitty Hawk circa 1965 in the Tonkin Gulf.

ETC Lawrence E. Brown

169k

Photos taken from the deck of the USS Caliente AO-53 between '66 and '69 off the coast of Vietnam.

Bill Dougherty

191k

As above.

Bill Dougherty

205k

As Above.

Bill Dougherty

44k

Circa 1966, location unknown.

Robert Hurst

625k

Underway in the Tonkin Gulf during 1966, while escorting Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42), as seen from the carrier's flight deck.

Steven W. Morse, Sr.

91k

Taken from the deck of the USS Intrepid (CVA-11) in the Tonkin Gulf, 1966 or 1967.

Bill Messer

101k

As above.

Bill Messer

111k

As above.

Bill Messer

146k

USS Black (DD-666) Steaming at sea, circa 1968. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Fred Weiss

137k

USS Black (DD-666) Crewmen working over the ship's side chipping paint, while she was at the Naval Station, San Diego, California, in November 1968. Note ratguard on the mooring line at left. Photographed by PHCS Herman Schroeder, USN. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Fred Weiss

43k

Ship's patch.

Mike Smolinski

53k

Ship's patch.

Mike Smolinski

213k

Ship's patch.

Tom Gamstetter

100k-120k

Uniform Ship's name shoulder patch.

Al Grazevich

46k

Ship's Zippo.

Tommy Trampp

USS BLACK DD-666 History
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The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.